Confectionary-mixing machine.



PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

G. PRATTS.

GONPECTIONERY MIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. 1905.

2 SHEETS-$31131 1.

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atfozum PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905. G. PRATTS.

CONFEGTIONERY MIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

GUST PRATTS. OF FLINT, MICHIGAN.

CONFECTlONERY-IVHXING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed May 8, 1905. Serial No. 259,336-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUsT PRA'ITS, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Flint, in the county of Genesee and State of Michigan, haveinvented a new and useful Confectionery-MixingMachine,of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism particularly useful for stirring ormixing candy in the manufacture of the same, but is not neeessarilylimited to this use.

One of the principal objects is to provide in connection with areceptacle for the material simple and novel means for thoroughlymixing, stirring, or commingling the material placed therein,saidmechanism beingarranged to act throughout the receptacle, andconsequently upon all the material placed therein.

A further object is to provide means for thoroughly and evenly coolingthe receptacle and its contents while the latter is being stirred ormixed.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in elevation of themachine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a verticalsectional view. Fig. 4c is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4: 4cof Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the innerstirrer-blade.

Similar reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment illustrated a supportingbase is employed, comprising aplatform 5, mounted on legs 6 and carrying a depending yoke-bracket 7.Supported on the base is a receptacle circular in form and comprising abottom and upstanding annular sides. The bottom is flat and consists ofspaced walls 8, connected by a convolute partition 9, thus forming asimilar channel 10 in said bottom. The sides also consist of spacedwalls 11, forming between them a space which is in communication withthe outermost whirl of the channel. A cooling medium is introduced intothe central portion of the channel by means of a pipe 12. connectedthereto,while the outlet from said channel is through a pipe 13,communicating with the space between the side walls. The receptacle isheld in position on the base by any suitable means --as. for instance,depending-bolts let, which pass through the platform 5 and havethumb-nuts 15 threaded thereupon.

The receptacle has a centrally disposed sleeve 16 extending through thebottom and projecting above and below the same. In this sleeve arejournaled concentric shafts 17 and 18, the shaft 18 extending below theshaft 17 and both having secured to their lower ends oppositely-disposedbevel gear-wheels 19. The shaft 18 has a thrust-bearing in the form of ascrew 20, threaded through the lower portion of the yoke-bracket T andbearing against the lower end of said shaft. The shafts are driven froma counter-shaft 2 1, having a bevelgear 22 interposed between andmeshing with the gears 19. The shaft 21 isjournalcd in suitable brackets23, secured to the under side of the platform 5, and has at its outerend a suitable driving-pulley or fly-wheel 24:, which may be providedwith an operating-handle The shaft 17 extends above the sleeve 16, andsecured upon its projecting end is a bushing 26, carrying a cross-arm27. There is also secured to this bushing a rearwardly and outwardlyinclined stirrer-blaiile 28, that operates in the central portion of thereceptacle directly over the bottom thereof and about the journal-sleeve16. The shaft 18 extends above the shaft 17 and has secured to its upperend a collar 29, provided with cross-arms 30 and 31, the arm 80 beinglonger than the arm 31. Secured to said arm 30 is a rear wardly andinwardly inclined stirrer-blade 32, that operates in the outer portionof the receptacle directly adjacent to the sides thereof. The arms 27and 31 are of different lengths, and secured to their outer ends areplows 33, having oppositely-extending rearwardly-inclined wings 34:.

In using the machine the material to be mixed is placed in thereceptacle and a cooling medium, such as water, is passed through theindirect or convolute channel, the current of moving water thus comingin contactwith practically all portions of the walls. The driving-shaft21 being rotated, the shafts 17 and 18 will be revolved in oppositedirections, and therefore the stirrer-blades 28 and 32 will also bemoved in opposite directions. The inner blade 28 will consequently movethe material in the central portion of the receptacle outwardly, whilethe outer blade 32 will force the material in its path of movementinwardly. The plows 33 have concentric paths of movement in oppositedirections between said stirrer-bhulcs, and dividing the material intheir respective pathswill force the same outwardly and inwardly because of the oppositely-inclined wings. It will be apparent that by thiscombination of blades and plows practically the entire surface of thebottom is operated over and the material is passed from one stirringdevice to another, so that it is thoroughly mixed and commingled. At thesame time the material is subjected to the cooling action of the flowingmedium in the channel and is thus rapidly and effectively cooled.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, andminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a mixing-machine, the combination with a receptacle, of aninwardly-inclined stirrer-blade operating in the outer portion of thereceptacle, an outwardly-inclined stirrer-blade operating about thecentral portion of the receptacle, oppositely-moving plows operating inpaths of movement between the outer and inner blades, and means foroperating the said blades and plows.

2. In a mixing-machine, the combination with a circular receptaclehaving abottom, of stirrer-blades in the receptacle rotating about acommon center and respectively operating over the outer and centralportions of the bottom in spaced paths of movement, a plow having arotary movement between the paths of movement of the blades and havingoppositelyextending wings that move the material in opposite directions,and means for rotating the blades and plow.

3. In a mixing-machine, the combination witha circular receptacle havinga substantially flat bottom, of upright shafts arranged centrally of thereceptacle, cross'arms carried by the shafts and operating in difierenthori- Zontal planes, an inwardly and rearwardly inclined stirrer-bladecarried by one of the crossarms and operating over the bottom contiguousto the side walls of the receptacle, an outwardly-extendingstirrer-blade carried by one of the shafts and rotating about thecentral portion of the receptacle, and oppositelyrotating plows carriedby the other cross-arms and rotating in paths of movement between thepathsof movement of the blades, said plows having oppositely-extendingwings that move the material both outwardly and inwardly.

at. In a mixing-machine, the combination with a receptacle having abottom comprising spaced continuous walls and a convolute partitionconnecting the spaced walls and form ing a correspondingly-shapedpassage for the passage of a cooling medium, of means for introducing acooling medium to the channel and discharging it therefrom, and stirringmechanism operating in the receptacle.

5. In a mixing-machine, the combination with a receptacle having abottom and sides comprising spaced walls and a convolute partitionconnecting the spaced walls and forming a correspondingly-shaped channelfor the passage of a cooling medium. of rotatable stirring mechanismoperating in the receptacle, and means for rotating the mechanism.

6. In a mixing-machine, the combination with a supporting-base, of acircular receptacle mounted thereon and comprising a bottom andsides,said bottom consisting of spaced walls and a convolute partitionconnecting the walls and forming a convolute passage-way, means forintroducing acooling medium into and discharging it from thepassage-way, upright shafts journaled centrally within the receptacle,means mounted on the base for rotating the shafts, and rotatablestirring mechanism secured to the shafts and operating in differentpaths of movement in the receptacle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GUST PRATTS.

WVitnesses:

FRED WV. BRUMAN, ,ERHA VAN SLYKE.

